Podophyllum versipelle versipelle

Description

Dysosma versipellis is a species of flowering plant in the barberry family Berberidaceae, native to China. It is still widely referenced under Podophyllum versipelle and there is some debate as to its correct taxonomic status. Though it has quite a broad but sparse distribution in the damp, shady forests of south and west China, it has been designated as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN. A compact herbaceous perennial growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall and broad, it grows from underground rhizomes, with umbrella-shaped leaves and dark red, tubular, pendent flowers in spring. It is quite hardy in temperate zones, surviving temperatures down to −10 °C (14 °F). However, it requires a sheltered spot in dappled shade, with acid to neutral soil. Under the synonym Podophyllum versipelle the cultivar ‘Spotty Dotty‘, distinguished by bold brown leaf markings, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit ysosma is a group of herbaceous perennials in the Berberidaceae or barberry family described as a genus in 1928.It is native to China and Indochina. The genus is not universally recognised by this name, as some authorities include the plants in the genus Podophyllum. Dysosma is recognised by other authorities as including only those Podophyllum species which originate in China.Dysosma grow as perennial, rhizomatous wildflowers on the damp and humus-rich floors of deciduous forests. The single umbrella-shaped leaves grow on an erect stem that usually stands 12–24 inches (300–610 mm), but with height varying with species. The leaves may be completely green or mottled and flecked with purple; they have an entire or deeply serrated edge depending on species. The flowers are nodding and in a range of colours. The fruit is a dark red berry.